Modulation of the serotonin S2-receptor in brain after chronic lithium

Abstract

In vivo effects of chronic lithium administration on dopaminergic and serotonergic receptor binding were studied in the striatum and cerebral cortex of the rat. [3H]Domperidone was used as the ligand for the dopaminergic receptor, and [3H]ketanserin for the serotonergic system. Long-term ingestion of lithium (2–3 months) resulted in high levels of lithium in the cerebral cortex and significantly higher potassium levels; the sodium content remained at normal levels. The kinetic constants (Kd andBmax) of [3H]domperidone binding sites measured in the striatum did not show any deviation from control values, but the receptor concentration (Bmax) of [3H]ketanserin binding sites was significantly reduced in the cerebral cortex of lithium-treated rats. The apparent dissociation constant (Kd) was not changed. The results indicate that the serotonergic component of the [3H]spiperone binding site, which we had previously found to be affected by chronic lithium treatment and which was shown by Peroutka and Snyder (1) to be the 5-HT2 receptor, is selectively affected by lithium.